Summer of
1946 provided
S.V.Ilyushin and
P.O.Sukhoi with
Governmental orders for four-engine jet bombers. Il-22 was ready first, turning out to be the first soviet-built jet
bomber. Despite formal classification 'experimental', it was fully equipped and armed aircraft, ready for service.

But actually design started in
1945, when
A.M.Lyulka became practical work on first Soviet jet engine TR-1.
Ilyushin
team performed study of various engine installations, and finally came up with absolutely original
scheme - four jet engines installed on isolated gondolas, podded under-in-front-of the wing on
short pylons. This scheme was used first time in the world practice, now is quite common.

All bombload was located inside: 2000kg normal and 2000kg in
overloaded configuration. Il-22 fuselage had to be raised to allow loading of heavy bombs
(2500kg or 3000kg). Barrel armament included fixed 23mmNS-23 cannon in the nose (150 rounds), tail installation
Il-KU-3
(see photo) with one
NS-23 (225 rounds) and dorsal remotely (electrically) controlled
turret with pair of 20mmB-20E cannons (400 rounds per gun). Photoequipment was installed.
Crew consisted of two pilots, navigator-bombardier, gunner-radio operator and tail gunner.

Fist flight was performed by V.K.Kokkinaki on July 24,
1947,
and 10 days later Il-22 appeared at Tushino Air Parade. second stage of trials ended in September
1947.
next year team tried to improve takeoff performance. On February 7,
1948
V.K.Kokkinaki performed rocket-assisted takeoff with pair of SR-2 solid boosters (1500kg thrust
each), marking first in the USSR RATO takeoff of heavy jet
bomber.

Due to TR-1 failure to deliver projected thrust (according to
Shavrov, 1300kg instead of promised 1600kg, other sources - 940kg
instead of promised 1300kg), trials of the Il-22 were terminated short. Decision also was affected by series of crew
complains: